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Sound quality from the USB Dac?

Posted by RGA (R) on September 30, 2012 at 07:33:38

So as some of you know my favorite CD replay comes from Audio Note. Having moved to Hong Kong where space is at a premium I am planning to go to computer audio and use CD for my most coveted albums. And a turntable later.

I have explored Ayre, Benchmark, Grace, Halide, MDHT, Eastern Electric many of which are using 32bit Sabre chips and some claim 32bit/384khz processing.

It's never really bothered me that AN is a little stone age on DAC chips since the results are the results and the results sound better.

But computer playback is a different animal. Is the AN DAC converting the signal in the same way it converts a CD player or is the AN DAC turned into a tube buffer stage from computer input.

Or would it be best to simply buy a USB to S/PDIF connector and run that from the computer to AN DAC. It seems my readings all indicate that S/PDIF is generally much better than USB connection.

I don't want to do justice to CD at the expense of Computer DSD audio or vice-versa. With the SS computer DACs I generally say - not too bad (for SS). the tube offerings seem like tube buffers which are basically there to distort things rather than be integral to the circuit design.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Kimber Kable

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